


A Lot of Good People

by hunters_retreat



Series: Further Interruptions [31]
Category: Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types
Genre: M/M, Newspapers, Rumors, Rumors of Divorce, Rumors of Separation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-01
Updated: 2019-01-01
Packaged: 2019-10-01 23:56:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,346
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17253782
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hunters_retreat/pseuds/hunters_retreat
Summary: “I take it you saw the papers,” Roy asked.  He had a stack sitting in front of him and he was torn between disdain at the headlines and amusement that his personal life was of so much interest to people.   “You’d think there were more important things to report on than the state of my marriage.”





	A Lot of Good People

“Can you believe this shit?”

Roy smiled even though the first words he received once he picked up the phone were anything but pleasant.

“I take it you saw the papers,” Roy asked.  He had a stack sitting in front of him and he was torn between disdain at the headlines and amusement that his personal life was of so much interest to people.   “You’d think there were more important things to report on than the state of my marriage.”

“What the hell, Roy?  Aren’t you going to say anything?”

“If you want, I can, but we agreed to keep your time in Xing quiet for a reason.  If I start to comment about why you stayed, there are just going to be holes in the story and then someone might actually find out why you’re really there.”

There was a long sigh on the other end of the line and Roy ached to be there with him.  It had been less than two weeks since he’d returned to Amestris without this husband and he had no idea how he would manage the next nine months without him.

“I hate it when you make sense.”

“It happens far more than you like to admit.”

“Okay, but what was with the champagne?” Ed demanded.

Roy picked up that particular tabloid and sighed.  The headline reported _Amestris’ Most Prominent Bachelor Returns?  Führer toasts as Ex-husband Is Exiled to Xing._ It wasn’t much better than the others.  _Führer Returns Without Fullmetal.  Trouble in Xing or in Paradise?_ That was from the national paper.  Just underneath that was, _War with Xing on the Way?  Fullmetal Alchemist Defects,_ and _Führer prepares for War with Xing to Get His Family Back._

Hawkeye came into the room with a stack of files for him to work on and she scowled at the phone in his hand.  He held up the paper for her to see and her eyes widened slightly.  She nodded and stepped out quickly.

“We did toast your stay in Xing, however it was right after I told the team the real reason and we were celebrating.”

“Ling keeps trying to find ways to make a new national holiday that will fall on the baby’s birthday.  I don’t think I can stop him,” Ed said with a small laugh.

“Speaking of which, any news?”

Ed sighed.  “Al is running a test today.  There are symptoms but it’s really early and it could be nothing.  It could just be us wanting to see something.  Lan Fan is pretty adamant though.  She says she’s pregnant.”

“Call me tonight, when you get the news either way.”

“I will.  Missing me already, Bastard?”

“Since the moment we said good-bye, Gold.”

“You are such a sap,” Ed said with a laugh.  It was fond though and Roy, after all these years together, thought he could trace his husband’s wistfulness as well.  Ed didn’t need to say the words for Roy to know he was missed.

“I am.  And you knew it full well when you married me.  How are the kids?  I don’t hear anyone cussing or anything exploding.”

“Alphonse took one look at the papers and took the kids with him for a morning of sight seeing until he has to come back for the test.”

“Ah.”

“Roy, what are we going to do?”

“If I address it specifically it will turn into a circus.  The best I think I can do is to remind everyone that you are a world renown theoretical alchemist and you have always gone where the research is.”

“Your political opponents aren’t going to let it lie.”

“And I have, more than once, reminded my political opponents that my personal life isn’t up to discussion in politics.”

“You’re not just a sap.  You’re a dreamer.  That won’t keep this down.”

“What should I do then, Ed?”

Ed sighed.  “I don’t know, Roy.  I just … I hate that we’re moving into this amazing new adventure in our lives and people are speculating things like that.”

“I know.  But we both know it isn’t true and we have something incredible to look forward to at the end of this.  We just need to keep that in sight.”

“Yeah.  It’s going to be crazy.”

Roy smiled.  “Not sure how we’re going to handle this one.”

“I’ve already picked Aunt Chris’s brain.”

“Maybe we should just move her and the girls in.”

“Now that would cause some headlines,” Ed laughed.  “Führer Mustang adds harem to already controversial marriage.  Children are scandalized.  Noted Alchemist Alphonse Elric has taken the children into custody to save them.”

He laughed with his husband and it felt good, in that moment, to joke about the words that had been put into print.  He was about to respond but his door burst open and Alex Armstrong came surging into the room.

“My friend, please, tell me it isn’t so!”

There were tears in the man’s eyes and his bottom lip was quivering.  Hawkeye entered the room just long enough to close the door behind the man. 

“Oh hell, Ed, I’ve got to go.”

“Was that Armstrong?  Shit, he saw the papers, didn’t he?”

“I think so.  I’ve got to deal with this.”

“Roy, tell whoever you have to.  The people we trust.  I know we said just a few but… with those headlines, Armstrong, Gracia… they don’t deserve to worry about us like that.  Use your discretion.”

“I love you, Ed.  Call me tonight.”

“Love you too, Bastard.”

He hung up the phone and Armstrong looked from the phone to Roy.  “So, it wasn’t true?”

“No, the papers have it all wrong.  Ed stayed in Xing for a reason and it had nothing to do with us being unhappy.”

“You are happy, aren’t you?  You and Ed, after all these years, I can’t imagine the two of you apart.”

“Me neither, Alex.  So, let me explain why Ed is really in Xing.”

When the tale was done, Alex was in tears again, but happy ones this time.  He promised to go home and tell Sheska so she wouldn’t worry either, but he understood the reason for Roy’s secrecy. 

As soon as he was gone, Roy picked up the phone to make one more call.

“Gracia, it’s Roy.”

“Dinner tonight?” she asked without him saying anything more.

“You are a lifesaver.”

She laughed softly on the other end.  “At least a good friend, I like to think.”

“The best.  I wasn’t looking forward to an empty house tonight with those headlines in my head.”

“Elysia and I would love to keep you company.”

“I’ll call when I know what time I’ll be out of the office.”

“Chin up, Roy.  Newspaper headlines are child’s play compared to what you and Ed have been through.”

“Yeah,” Roy said softly.  “I just don’t like to even think about my life without him.”

“Good thing we’ll be there to keep you out of your head tonight.”

“Thank you, Gracia.”

“See you tonight, Roy.”

He hung up just as Hawkeye came in again.  “Sir, are you going to address the headlines?  I’m getting calls from everyone.”

“No comment, except that Ed is in Xing researching and that I am still a happily married man.”

Hawkeye nodded.  “Are you okay, sir?”

He smiled at her then, concern written so clearly across her usually stoic face.  “I am.  I have a lot of good people to keep me on my feet.  Until Ed comes home with the baby, we just have to remember what’s at stake.”

“Yes, sir.”

As she left, he took a deep breath and reminded himself that the words weren’t just for her.  They were true.  And at the end of the day, that would see him through this separation from his beloved. 

He picked up one of the few framed photos sitting on his desk and smiled at it.  They were at a casual gathering, the team surrounding him and Ed and the twins.  Al was behind his brother with Alex and Sheska, as well as Gracia and Elysia.  “A lot of good people.”

 

 

 


End file.
